Music

Sep 18, 2009

Featured Album Fridays / Islands – Vapours (2009)

Jon Lim Featured Album Fridays, indie, Islands, Music, Pop, Vapours Featured Album Fridays, Music 0 Comment

This week on Featured Album Fridays, I am showcasing the 2009 album from Montreal-based band Islands – Vapours.

Islands - Vapours

Here is the description of Islands from their Last.FM:

Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Islands is a 6 piece band founded by former The Unicorns frontman Nick Thorburn (briefly taking the stage name “Nick Diamonds”) and drummer J’Aime Tambeur. Following the untimely disbandment of The Unicorns as they teetered on the brink of breaking through, Islands’ debut release entitled Return to the Sea, with its quirky sounds and refreshing, catchy melodies includes collaborations with members of Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. This debut picks up where The Unicorns left off and takes the music to new heights without departing from The Unicorns’ unique if sometimes peculiar appeal.

Islands plays beautiful pop melodies, intertwined with elements of afro-pop, hip hop, and indie rock, among others. One of the main gimmicks of the band is the recorder brought over from The Unicorns, which is prominently featured in the song “Jogging Gorgeous Summer.” Nick Diamonds rules over the band with an iron fist. Other members include: Patrice Agbokou, Aaron Harris, Alex Chow, Sebastian Chow, and Patrick Gregoire. Return to the Sea, their rookie effort, was released on April 4th, 2006 on the brand new label, equator records, and rough trade in the uk. Digital Distribution handled by Alpha Pup.

On May 20, 2008, Islands released its second album, Arm’s Way, on Anti- Records.

Very melodic and poppy album, definitely worth checking out. Have a listen with the stream below and I hope you enjoy!

Sep 13, 2009

Soulful Sundays / Cyne – Water For Mars (2009)

Jon Lim Cyne, Jazz Hip-hop, Music, Soulful Sundays, Water For Mars Music, Soulful Sundays 0 Comment

This week on Soulful Sundays, I am showcasing the 2009 album from Cyne – Water For Mars.

cyne water for mars

Fantastic album that is everything you want a hip-hop album to be. The stream is below, enjoy!

Sep 11, 2009

Featured Album Fridays / Bat For Lashes – Two Suns (2009)

Jon Lim Bat For Lashes, Featured Album Fridays, indie, Music, Two Suns Featured Album Fridays, Music 0 Comment

This week on Featured Album Fridays, I am showcasing the 2009 album from Bat For Lashes – Two Suns.

Bat For Lashes - Two Suns

Here is the description of Bat For Lashes from her Last.FM:

Bat for Lashes is the work of British singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist Natasha Khan.

Khan was born in Hertfordshire, England to a Pakistani father and English mother on 25 October 1979. Khan graduated in music and visual arts; while at university her experimental work was influenced by artists such as Steve Reich and Susan Hiller, and she produced multi-media work centred on sound installations, animations and performance. She went on to work as a nursery school teacher, and it was during this period that she began writing the material for her first album. “Whenever I’m writing music it’s a very visual place in my mind,” said Khan. “It has a location full of characters and colours and landscapes, so those two things really complement each other, and they help the other one to blossom and support the other. They are like brother and sister.”

Her debut single, “The Wizard,” was released digitally through Drowned in Sound records and on seven-inch vinyl through Khan’s own imprint, She Bear Records. She then signed to the record label Echo, alongside Feeder and former Moloko singer Róisín Murphy, and released her debut album, Fur and Gold, on 11 September 2006. In 2007, Bat for Lashes parted company with Echo and signed to Parlophone records. Fur and Gold was re-released with the addition of bonus material. A limited vinyl version was released by Los Angeles indie label, Manimal Vinyl in May 2007.

The stream is below, it is a very mellow album that really pulls on the heartstrings. I hope you enjoy!

Sep 6, 2009

Soulful Sundays / Kev Brown – I Do What I Do (2005)

Jon Lim I Do What I Do, Jazz Hip-hop, Kev Brown, Music, Soulful Sundays Music 0 Comment

This week on Soulful Sundays, the 2005 album from Kev Brown – I Do What I Do.

Kev Brown - I Do What I Do

Kev Brown’s I Do What I Do can be summed up quite easily: very mellow, jazzy beats with intelligent and smooth vocals laid on top. Definitely something to listen all the way through, the stream is below, hope you enjoy!

Sep 4, 2009

Featured Album Fridays / The Sexy Accident – Mantaloking (2009)

Jon Lim Featured Album Fridays, indie, Mantaloking, Music, The Sexy Accident Music 2 Comments

This week on Featured Album Friday, I am showcasing the 2009 album from The Sexy Accident – Mantaloking.

The Sexy Accident - Mantaloking

Here is the description of The Sexy Accident from their Last.FM:

The Sexy Accident is a Kansas City indie pop band. The band’s influences include early Elvis Costello, The Wedding Present, Weezer and Teenage Fanclub. In the press, writers have compared the band to The Smoking Popes, Marshall Crenshaw, They Might Be Giants and Joe Jackson. Jesse Kates (guitar, singing) is the only original member of the band, which is now on its fifth lineup. The band’s lastest album, Kinda Like Fireworks, was recorded by Greg Norman at Electrical Audio in Chicago by Jesse, Pat Fent (bass) and Daniel Torrence (drums) over a period of four days. Recently, the Sexy Accident added a second guitarist named Chad Toney.

Great, energetic album. Take a listen, hope you enjoy!

Aug 30, 2009

Soulful Sundays / Panacea – The Re Route (2009)

Jon Lim Jazz Hip-hop, Music, Panacea, Soulful Sundays, The Re Route Music, Soulful Sundays 0 Comment

This week on Soulful Sundays, I am showcasing the 2009 remix album from Panacea – The Re Route.

panaceareroute

The Re Route is essentially a remix album of Panacea’s 2007 The Scenic Route and has a bunch of different producers throwing their weight into the mix. Definitely a high energy album that I had on loop for the entirety of my Saturday, give it a listen with the stream below and I hope you enjoy it!

Aug 28, 2009

Featured Album Fridays / Arctic Monkeys – Humbug (2009)

Jon Lim Arctic Monkeys, Featured Album Fridays, Humbug, indie, Music, Rock Featured Album Fridays, Music 0 Comment

This week on Featured Album Fridays, I am showcasing the much awaited 2009 album from the Arctic Monkeys – Humbug.

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug

Of course, if you don’t know about the Arctic Monkeys, here is their description from Last.FM:

Arctic Monkeys are an indie rock band who formed in High Green, Sheffield, England in 2002. The band consists of Alex Turner (vocals, guitar), Jamie ‘Cookie’ Cook (guitar), Nick O’Malley (bass) and Matt Helders (drums, vocals). Founding bassist Andy Nicholson left in 2006.

Each of the band’s first five singles I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, When the Sun Goes Down, Leave Before the Lights Come On, Brianstorm and Fluorescent Adolescent hit the UK Top Five, but their sixth single, Teddy Picker, only went Top 20. Their seventh single, Crying Lightning premiered in July of 2009 and will be physically released in August 2009.

The band’s rise to success started in late 2004/early 2005 when demo songs which had been handed out in CD form at gigs found their way onto the internet. These demos rapidly spread among message boards and friends leading to a growing fan base for the band, and were collected on the unofficial Beneath the Boardwalk, which the band recognizes on their website. The band owe much of their success to viral buzz via the Internet, and have eschewed typical ‘commercial’ channels, including refusing to appear on the UK’s (now discontinued) Top Of The Pops music program, which was often seen as a gateway to success.

The band’s debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, holds the record for the largest first week sales of a debut album in the UK (in its first week, it sold more than the rest of the Top 20 albums combined). The album sold over 360,000 copies in its first week, but lost the title in November 2007 to Leona Lewis’s album Spirit.

Nothing to really say but… what a wonderful album. The stream is below, hope you enjoy!

Aug 23, 2009

Soulful Sundays / Shinsight Trio – Shallow Nights Blurry Moon (2008)

Jon Lim Jazz Hip-hop, Music, Shallow Nights Blurry Moon, Shinsight Trio, Soulful Sundays Music, Soulful Sundays 8 Comments

This week on Soulful Sundays, I am showcasing the 2008 album from the Shinsight Trio – Shallow Nights Blurry Moon.

Shinsight Trio - Shallow Nights Blurry Moon

The main focus on this album for me was mainly the beats, because they are just so smooth, very much reminiscent of Nujabes and Kero One, definitely one of my new favourite albums. My list is growing way too large. The stream is below, hope you enjoy!

Aug 21, 2009

Featured Album Fridays / As Tall As Lions – You Can’t Take It With You (2009)

Jon Lim Alternative, As Tall As Lions, Featured Album Fridays, indie, Music, You Can't Take It With You Featured Album Fridays, Music 1 Comment

This week on Featured Album Friday, I am showcasing the 2009 album from As Tall As Lions – You Can’t Take It With You.

You-Cant-Take-It-WIth-You

Here is the description of As Tall As Lions from their Last.FM:

After coming off the road in mid-2005, following months of touring in support of their Triple Crown debut, Lafcadio, Long Island-based band As Tall As Lions – vocalist/guitarist Daniel Nigro, guitarist Saen Fitzgerald, bassist Julio Tavarez and drummer Cliff Sarcona – spent more than half a year channeling their energies into crafting an album that would not only realize the lofty ambitions of these four young men but define them as a band, once and for all. The resulting self-titled album – released August 8, 2006 on Triple Crown/East West – provides dramatic evidence that they met this self-imposed challenge, and then some.

As Tall As Lions’ journey toward maturation began in casual fashion, the original version of the band forming around Fitzgerald while the members were still in high school. During the next few years, they endured the lineup changes and artistic roadblocks many young bands experience before taking their present, permanent form. But they still had some growing to do.

“When we started doing Lafcadio, we really didn’t understand what we were getting ourselves into – we were just kids” says Nigro. “We had made a couple demos, put them on the Internet and, after a couple of days, we had record labels calling us ready to sign the band. We all thought this whole band thing was going to come too easily after that. We dropped out of college and made As Tall As Lions our priority. At first, it was a tough adjustment. We’d never been on tour before, and getting used to life on the road was draining. I think we’ve all grown up a lot since then, and our attitude has changed for the better. We put everything we had into this new record and are extremely happy with how it came out.”

Fantastic album, the instrumentals and vocals are just a perfect match and it was so easy to listen to. I hope you enjoy, the stream is below!

Aug 16, 2009

Aceyalone with RJD2 – Magnificent City (2006)

Jon Lim Aceyalone, Aceyalone with RJD2, Jazz Hip-hop, Magnificent City, Music, RJD2, Soulful Sundays Music, Soulful Sundays 0 Comment

This week on Soulful Sundays, I am showcasing the 2006 album from Aceyalone, accompanied by the one and only RJD2 – Magnificent City.

Aceyalone with RJD2 - Magnificent City

This is a fantastic album because the infectious back beats produced by RJD2 combined with the intelligent and pleasant-sounding emceeing of Aceyalone makes for one of the better albums I have ever heard. I loved it all the way through, and I hope you do too! The stream is below, enjoy!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 »